Interview with Sian Collie- Imaging Manager

Sian Collie

Imaging Manager
BMI The Chiltern Hospital

No day is the same and that is what makes imaging so exciting

Can you tell us a little about yourself, background and current role?

I started out in healthcare as an ultrasound assistant at the local trust in Stoke Mandeville, which I really enjoyed. After two years in this position I went to my manager and said I want to do some more, and so she sponsored me to become a radiographer.

So I’ve worked my way through the ranks- first as a radiographer at Stoke,where I worked in A&E. I then went to The John Radcliffe and worked as a superintendent for two years, which was really good.

After this I moved to London at the UCLA Hospital Department for Neurology, where I worked two years as a manager and then I came here. This is back home for me and I really enjoy it.

My job is looking after the team here and making sure that the patients have the best possible experience and making sure my team is ok too.

Describe a typical day/week at BMI The Chiltern Hospital for you?

Every day is different, you never know what is going to come in.That is the joy of working in Imaging.

I come in, make sure my team is ok, sort out any lists, any problems. We have different lists every day: we might have some complex scans in MRI or might have patients booked in for ultrasound or injections or biopsies. Every day is different and a list that can look just normal turns out often not to be, with many situations that you are not expecting.

No day is the same and that’s what makes imaging so exciting.

What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most?

The people. I’ve got a fantastic team, they’re all patient focused, and also helping the patients. Every patient that comes to us by human nature is nervous, worried that something might be wrong. Being human means you automatically think of the worst so you are terrified by the diagnostic process.

If we can make that process easier and better for you, make you feel that you are being cared for and we are there for you, then that’s our job half done.

It’s also being there for the patients and seeing the patients go out feeling either relieved to know that everything is ok, or if they are not ok, to know that everything will be ok going forward because they are in the right place for it.

How does your role benefit the patients of the hospital?

We are the diagnostic stage so quite often patients will be coming not knowing what’s going on , or be in the process of a treatment so they are coming to see if the treatment has worked.

So we do make a difference to the patients through the way we treat them because if we give them a positive experience it sets them up to the next part of the journey.

What has been your biggest achievement at BMI The Chiltern Hospital?

I think the team are my achievement because they are amazing, and it amazes me every day how they are helping each other. They care about each other and they care about the patients, so I will consider it my achievement because I am part of this team.

What activities do you enjoy outside of work?

I am very family oriented so if I am not at work I am with my family – my nephews and nieces, brothers and sisters, mom and dad.